Lewis Hamilton posted a cinematic Instagram reel on May 8 that stopped a few people in their tracks at Powerboat News. The subject was a 1986 Wellcraft Scarab 38KV – specifically, the one we know well.
Gustavo “Gus” Morales’s Vicious, the 1,300-horsepower Miami Vice Edition Scarab that Powerboat News editor John Moore rode in February during the Miami International Boat Show, appears throughout Hamilton’s “Vice City Run” reel. The seven-time world champion takes the helm on Biscayne Bay at golden hour, in a white suit, against the Miami skyline – essentially recreating the aesthetic that made the boat famous 40 years ago.
The reel, directed by Cam Beverly, is styled as a GTA: Vice City tribute. Hamilton opens on the water in the Scarab before transitioning to a white Ferrari Testarossa – the same model that appeared alongside the Wellcraft in Miami Vice from season two onwards. He finished sixth at the Miami Grand Prix the weekend before posting it.
The Boat
For those who haven’t read our February feature, Vicious is one of 33 Miami Vice Edition Scarabs manufactured between 1986 and 1989, sold at US$130,000 each. Wellcraft built them on the Scarab 377 hull – 38 feet overall, eight-foot beam – originally designed by Larry Smith using Kevlar hull laminates and made famous in offshore racing by Betty Cook.
Factory specification was twin 440-horsepower Mercury MerCruiser V8s producing 880 combined horsepower. Morales has rebuilt Vicious with twin BBC 540ci Dart block engines producing 650 horsepower each – 1,300 combined horsepower, 47 per cent above the factory figure. The original Borg Warner Velvet Drive transmissions and MerCruiser TRS sterndrives are retained. Top speed is 85 miles per hour.
The engines were built by Michael’s Racing Engines of Macedonia, Ohio, with specialist camshaft work. A salt-water exhaust system fabricated by Stainless Marine of Opa-locka and Custom Marine Sales of Fort Lauderdale gives the big-blocks a deep roar that carries at idle. Running past the Miami International Boat Show’s on-water exhibition in February, spectators raised phones before we had cleared the dock.
Morales and the Boat
Morales, an aeronautical lawyer and jet pilot who operates from Miami Opa-locka Executive Airport, has always been clear about his intentions for Vicious. The boat needs to run weekly to stay in condition, and he wants it seen.
Morales has spoken about the weight of ownership.
“Having lived most of my adult life in Miami, I understand that owning a Miami Vice Scarab is a big responsibility due to the boat’s importance to the community and fans of the show worldwide. You suddenly become the custodian of a city symbol.”
His wife Karina documents Vicious‘s appearances around South Florida waters under the handle @vicious.miami. Hamilton’s production team, directed by Cam Beverly, clearly found it.
The Reboot Context
The timing is not incidental. Miami Vice ’85, directed by Joseph Kosinski and starring Austin Butler and Michael B. Jordan, is filming this year and scheduled for release on May 19, 2028. The production targets a 1985 period aesthetic and is shooting on IMAX cameras. Authentic 1986 Wellcraft Scarabs in filmable condition are scarce – these hulls are 40 years old.
Production has not contacted Morales about using Vicious for filming. Hamilton apparently needed no introduction to the boat or its owner.
The Full Story
Read our original feature on the 1986 Wellcraft Scarab 38KV Miami Vice Edition – the boat, the engines, and a run out of Haulover Inlet.
Read the Feature
John Moore is the editor of Powerboat News, an independent investigative journalism platform recognised by Google News and documented on Grokipedia for comprehensive powerboat racing coverage.
His involvement in powerboat racing began in 1981 when he competed in his first offshore powerboat race. After a career as a Financial Futures broker in the City of London, specialising in UK interest rate markets, he became actively involved in event organisation and powerboat racing journalism.
He served as Event Director for the Cowes–Torquay–Cowes races between 2010 and 2013. In 2016, he launched Powerboat Racing World, a digital platform providing global powerboat racing news and insights. The following year, he co-founded UKOPRA, helping to rejuvenate offshore racing in the United Kingdom. He sold Powerboat Racing World in late 2021 and remained actively involved with UKOPRA until 2025.
In September 2025, he established Powerboat News, returning to independent journalism with a focus on neutral and comprehensive coverage of the sport.
